Services:

RAAC Remediation and Strengthening

 

The RAAC Crisis
Remediation, Not Demolition

The expiration date on RAAC planks across the UK has passed. Asset owners are now racing to secure “crumbly concrete” roofs and floors before they fail.

Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) was never designed to last forever. Its cellular, bubbly structure is prone to water ingress, carbonation and – most dangerously – sudden shear failure near the bearings.

For many Facility Managers, particularly those navigating the strict Department for Education (DfE) RAAC guidance in schools and healthcare trusts, the default advice has been “prop it or drop it.” This leads to massive disruption, facility closures and immense demolition costs.

There is a third way. Structural Repairs delivers specialist RAAC remediation, deploying advanced composite engineering to strengthen the planks in situ. We eliminate the need for total replacement, keeping your building operational and your capital budget intact.

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Kevlar Tape

Carbon Fibre: The Perfect Exoskeleton

RAAC is exceptionally fragile. You cannot simply drill heavy mechanical anchors into it because the substrate will crumble. You cannot bolt heavy steel beams to it because the added dead load may trigger a complete collapse.

Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) is the only material that solves the structural deficit without compounding the problem.

How our RAAC repair works

  • Restoring Shear Capacity: RAAC planks typically snap near the supports (bearings) due to insufficient internal steel reinforcement. We apply bonded carbon fibre sheets to the soffit, acting as external tension reinforcement that bridges the danger zone.
  • Zero Weight Penalty: Carbon fibre is lighter than aluminium but significantly stronger than steel. It adds negligible load to an already stressed structure.
  • Low Profile Application: The finished system is merely millimetres thick. It can be plastered or painted over directly, preserving ceiling heights and architectural aesthetics.
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Comprehensive Structural Remediation

RAAC repair capabilities across the entire building envelope

While the “crumbly concrete” crisis is most prevalent in roof planks, the same structural vulnerabilities often affect Slabs and Columns within older assets.

We apply our composite strengthening techniques to vertical Columns to enhance axial load capacity and use high-modulus CFRP to reinforce internal Slabs.

By specifically targeting the Key Soffits – the underside of the structural elements—we can restore the necessary tensile strength to failing units in situ, ensuring the entire structural skeleton is returned to a safe, compliant state.

RAAC Safety: The “Belt and Braces” Standard

With RAAC, structural failure is typically sudden and brittle. There is no “slow bend” warning; it simply snaps. This is exactly why our remediation strategy is built on engineered redundancy, aligning strictly with the defect and assessment frameworks published by the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE).

The Low-Carbon Life Extension We champion “Safe Store” and life extension strategies. By repairing and protecting the existing fabric, we avoid the colossal environmental and Scope 3 carbon costs associated with new construction.

Our Failsafe Measures

Secondary Bearing Support

Where shear failure at the wall edge is the primary risk, we install remedial steel angles. These catch the plank if the original bearing gives way, providing a physical “shelf” that guarantees stability.

Debris Containment & Netting

For high-risk areas (such as school halls or hospital wards), we install high-load debris netting or false ceilings. This ensures that any spalling concrete or loose aggregate is safely contained, eliminating the risk of injury from falling debris.

Live Environment Protocols

We understand that RAAC remediation often takes place in operational schools and hospitals. Our teams are fully DBS-checked and trained in strict isolation protocols, using dust-free tooling and noise-dampening measures to keep your facility running safely while we work.

RAAC Repair
A Solution Proudly Manufactured in Britain

In 2026, Structural Repairs opened our first dedicated manufacturing plant in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

While other contractors remain heavily reliant on imported composites and vulnerable international supply chains, we engineer and manufacture our proprietary Kevlar and carbon fibre ‘Reinforcer’ system entirely within the UK. This provides absolute quality control over our tensile specifications, guaranteeing supply chain security and rapid deployment for urgent RAAC remediation works across the country.

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Secure Your Building. Protect Your Occupants.

If your survey has identified RAAC planks (Red or Amber risk), urgent action is required. Do not rush into demolition before you have explored structural strengthening.

Contact our engineering team today for a feasibility study.

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RAAC Remediation and Strengthening

The Engineered Path to Remediation

Effective structural repair requires more than just a patch. We follow a rigorous 5-stage engineering workflow to ensure we treat the root cause, not just the visible symptom.

  1. Consult: Free initial assessment of your asset's symptoms.
  2. Scan: Non-destructive testing to map the invisible defect.
  3. Specify: Engineering the exact solution for the root cause, ensuring strict compliance with BS EN 1504 repair standards.
  4. Restore: Precision execution of the structural repair.
  5. Validate: Post-works re-scanning to prove structural integrity.

Secure your asset with absolute confidence.

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